Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Truth or Dare(Or Don't Try This at Home)

I grew up in a family of girls. My Grandparents had three girls and all three girls had girls up to a certain point. There were no girls in our immediate family until I had already left home and married. Growing up with all girls was rather boring. I wanted to follow behind my older sister, and all she could see was a pest. We were polite, well educated, went to Mass every Sunday and learned to cook at our mother's tutelage. Just a normal family that did not include boys. So I grew up not knowing what boys get up to, the only fishing we ever did was with our Grandfather. Our week consisted of going to school, chores after school and homework. We never talked on the phone, our father, who is a Doctor, always insisted that the phone be left free in case a patient called. This was years before Call Waiting or any of the other "Call" benefits. It was the Marcus Welby generation when Doctor's made house calls. Weekends were spent cleaning house, going to the library or a movie then home to play with neighbor kids. Sunday was Mass, family dinner, more outdoor play ,bed. But it wasn't that bad, just a bit dull. If it sounds we lived a very sheltered life, well I nailed it on the head. Then, when I was twenty I met and married Mac. Mac who grew up with a brother, three sisters and tons of boy cousins. My home suddenly had noise in it. Mac would bring his shipmates home all the time and now there was always much roughhousing. When our own two boys came along, I figured out that boys were just ruffians. It was a constant struggle to keep the house under control. So one night, I think it may have been a New Years Eve party we were giving, there's a crowd in the front room, the boys are tucked up in bed and as I'm coming down the stairs I see a couple of the guys acting a little rough and tumble. I yelled at them to knock it off, and I get "we're just playing". "Listen," I tell them, "I've taken kids to the ER who were just playing! Now knock it off!" So Mac gets in on it (now I'm not saying anyone was drunk, but a few beers had been consumed, so lets just say none of the guys were feeling much pain. Mac used to have this little game he liked to call "shadow boxing with my baby". Uh huh. He'd dance around me and just barely touch my shoulder or my arm, but enough to irritate, then draw back in the dancing boxer position and he'd do it till I became so furious that I would begin to sputter and turn red. That was what was going on that night and he made a mistake. He did it long enough till I was near tears. "Whattsa matter Baby, can't take it? Can't take it Baby? Why don't you punch back?" And he continued to dance around. And chant. My arm went way down and I came up from the floor (and at 5'10 that was a long trip for my little fist. WHAM . One big man picking himself up from the floor. Baby got game. And Daddy's got a glass jaw. Needless to say there was never a game of shadow boxing in our house from that day forward. And he found out I would take a dare. And then some.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great story. Tough girl.

Lee said...

Surprising things happen when women reach their limits! :)

Hugs!

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

You beat up my beloved uncle? Well. I guess I'll have to agree he MAY have been asking for it. But still...my poor uncle. Laid out with a punch from his beloved. Luckily, I'm a married woman so I completely understand where that punch came from. :)
Hey - what happened to Jenn and Jacqui's blog? I tried to go there and it says it's gone! Any word?

Vee said...

I daresay that a few more men should've been put in their place if only the "little woman" had had the guts that you had. Course you must've known that your Mac wasn't the kind to keep a fight going past a certain point. ;>

Funny what you had to say about the hair in your grandmother's pin cushion...frugal, eh? I've been known to run a needle through my hair, but I think it did very little to sharpen the needle and these days, since we bathe more often than Saturday nights, the grease didn't help any either. :D

Vee said...

Now I'm laughing that Kari has just discovered what you did to her favorite uncle!

Anonymous said...

Just what happens when some limits are pushed too far!!! :)

Merisi said...

*rofl*
I grew up with six brothers, but I was the oldest, and very bossy, they'd tell you. ;-)))

Jeni said...

Loved this story! You are my "highway hero" girl!

Sandi McBride said...

I never figured out if he was just so much in love with me or if he thought that I was a dangerous lunatic not to be messed with...maybe a combination of both...we have these moments now, though, that when he does something, well silly or or annoying he looks at me and smiling says "and that's when I shot him judge." Yep, 39 years of wedded bliss...and I still don't know the answer, love or awe.

Mima said...

Sandi, great story, you had me really chuckling, and I have a beaming grin on my face as I write this. You go girl!

Mary said...

Love this Sandi You got to show them whoes boss!! I grew up with 2 brothers so became tough at an early age!! i am about to post at last!!

Terri said...

WOW! I admire you for taking the shot. I probably would have been a woosie and cried.
You go girl!
God bless

Mockingbird Hill said...

Love this story1 Love. It. And, from what I've come to know, doesn't surprise me one bit!!

Love it...

Cassie

Jan said...

And this is why I really like you! LOL! Way to go! I love this story!

Unknown said...

Thats hilarious! Good for you :) Sounds A LOT like my hubby!

I tagged you on my blog :)

Anonymous said...

Aunt Sandie, lol, this is so you!

Hummingbird Chats said...

LOL..I love it!! Men don't always think before they act. But you gota love'm.. Katie

Unknown said...

Sandi,

I love your stories! You tell them so well. You should write some of these down for your kiddies someday. Anyway, I am glad you won that round. LOL

John-Michael said...

And, on that day, Mac's universe (as he had known it) became a different place. "A few beers", or not, respect is simply what the pivotal place must be!

Jeanne said...

Girl you got 'ahem' can't say that in front of a lady. hehe

San said...

WOO HOO! You go, girl! You slug too.

My own Bennie has this annoying thing he does too. Completely sober. When I'm being quiet, he'll say "huh?" And I'll say, "please stop." And he'll say "huh?" And on and on and on... IT MAKES ME CRAZY.

david mcmahon said...

Mac

Don't

Mess

With

Her!!!

Cath said...

That is so cool! Go girl!
I got sent over from David's - you made me laugh and laugh. You got ba**s. Well done! And I agree with David's comment....

Jo Beaufoix said...

Hee hee, I popped over from David's ans I'm glad I did. :D

LZ Blogger said...

I just popped over here from david mcmahon's blog and I must say your story here on this post is very cute! ~ THX! ~ jb///

OHmommy said...

David just sent me over and I am glad he did.

What a great story. :) Nice blog!

aims said...

Guys should know better than to push the quiet ones...

David sent me!

the mother of this lot said...

Oh, I love it! And I loved Marcus Welby too!

Daryl said...

Way to go, Sandi

David sent me

Susie Q said...

You always tell a story so well...and always leave me with a huge grin. I can just picture you..and him! : )

Kari's comment had me chuckling too!

You are the best sweet Sandi!

Hugs,
Sue